NFL reinstates Pacman Jones

Adam “Pacman” Jones certainly has no shortage of things to be thankful for this Thanksgiving, not the least of which is the fact that he’ll be allowed to continue his career as a professional football player.  The NFL’s tough minded commissioner Roger Goodell decided to give Pacman another chance, announcing that the league has decided to reinstate Jones after his misses two more games.  He’ll be eligible to return on December 7th against the Pittsburgh Steelers.

This is Pacman’s second “second chance” from the league after he was suspended for the entire 2007 season for his off field behavior.  He was acquired by the Dallas Cowboys in the offseason, and the NFL agreed to give him another chance convinced in part by the team’s assignment of a “security detail” to follow Pacman around and presumably keep him out of trouble.  Ironically, it was that “security detail” that precipitated his latest “indefinite” suspension by the league—Pacman got into a drunken scuffle with one of his bodyguards at a Dallas area strip club.  The NFL took a dim view of Pacman’s choice of leisure time activities and swung the hammer.

In this case, Pacman’s reinstatement may be less about “mercy” or “redemption” and more a case that the NFL was checkmated by the cornerback’s tactical response to his suspension.  By heading to alcohol rehab he put the league in a tenuous situation whereby if they didn’t reinstate Pacman they’d send a tacit message that they were unsympathetic to people with chemical abuse problems.  For a league that relies on its positive image while making millions off of beer advertising, that message and the collateral image damage that would have ensued wasn’t worth the risk.  Pacman certainly knows that he’s on a short leash, and the league knows that if he messes up again that they can take whatever action they deem necessary without looking unsympathetic to problems caused by alcohol abuse. 

The NFL didn’t release any of the conditions of Pacman’s reinstatement, but they no doubt include continued treatment for alcohol abuse and monitoring by specialists in the field.  Cowboy owner Jerry Jones was also uncharacteristically tight lipped about the reinstatement, evoking a nautical metaphor to suggest that Pacman had little leeway for future malfeasance: "He's a long way, a long way from having clear sailing”

Jones’ attorney issued the following statement on his client’s behalf:

"He much appreciates the Cowboys and Jerry Jones for standing behind him and encouraging him, and he's grateful to the commissioner. He knows what he has to do. It's very clear."

Part of the reinstatement agreement was contingent on the Cowboys no longer babysitting Pacman with a “security detail”.  Or, as his attorney put it:

"It all starts with him and his decision-making. He's comfortable making decisions for himself."

It now remains to be seen if he’s capable of making *good* decisions for himself.